MIDWAY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Chef Ouita Michel has been appointed to the American Culinary Corps, which is a diplomatic culinary partnership between the U.S. State Department and the James Beard Foundation.
Michel will be working with folks like Padma Lakshmi, Samin Nosrat, Meherwan Irani (founder of Spicewalla), and fellow Kentuckian Edward Lee.
Their mission will be “to embrace and utilize food, hospitality, and the dining experience as diplomatic tools to engage foreign dignitaries, bridge cultures, and strengthen relationships with civil society.”
“It’s an incredible honor to be included with such amazing chefs from around the country, to serve the State Department and the James Beard Foundation in their diplomatic culinary partnership,” said Michel. “My entire career has been dedicated to the idea that food can connect us to each other, to our communities, to our landscape, our past and our present. To think about sharing our American and Kentucky food culture and traditions as a way to bring the world together is inspiring.”
